The invention relates to a transfer apparatus for bag packages as generally defined hereinafter. In a known packaging machine of the present applicant, the jaws of the tongs are each provided with a gear wheel and are rotated via two endless chains, which furthermore are guided about driving gear wheels disposed coaxially with the pivot shaft of the pivot arm. One of the driving gear wheels is mounted on a shaft which is supported in a hollow shaft bearing the other gear wheel. This hollow shaft is supported in turn on a second hollow shaft, on which the pivot arm is affixed. The three shafts are controlled separately from one another by cam drives so as to pivot, open and close the tongs. The known transfer apparatus is expensive, because of its many separately controlled parts. Furthermore, the chain drives must be re-adjusted from time to time to assure reliable transferring of the bag packages.